Faro, Portugal – Funny thing, this brand-perception business. Blurt out “Porsche” at a cocktail party and everyone will inevitably respond “sports cars!” And rightly so. The German automaker’s brand essence was built making lightweight two-seaters that could be driven both to and on the track, resulting in countless champagne baths in racetrack winner circles around the world.

Yet last year, Porsche’s best-selling model in Canada (with almost 1,700 units sold) was a gargantuan SUV — the Cayenne — a vehicle that’s about as diametrically opposed to how the brand built its reputation as one can imagine. At the bottom of the sales charts (with only 299 sold) sit the only “real” sports cars in the German automaker’s lineup: the two-seat Boxster roadster and Cayman hardtop.

This seems like a shame, because while few bother to partake in Boxster/Cayman ownership, and except for the low-volume 911 GT2 and GT3 models, this pair best represent what Porsche is supposed to be all about. And now, after last year’s all-new Boxster, an equally new Cayman arrives for 2014. Has Porsche sullied its brand heritage yet again?

From its world premiere at last fall’s Los Angeles auto show, we already knew the 2014 second-generation Cayman and Boxster were linked at birth. Both were designed at the same time and are built in the same German factory. And like its cloth-top brother, the new hardtop Cayman is a bit wider and longer to than its predecessor, sits on a longer wheelbase and has wider wheel tracks. But it’s also shorter in height.

As before, the starter $59,900 Cayman mill is a 2.7-litre flat-six making 275 horsepower (up 10 over the 2013 model) and 214 pound-feet of of torque. Above that, again, Porsche offers the $72,900 Cayman S, powered by a 3.4-litre flat-six (essentially a de-tuned version of the engine found in the $96,200 911 Carrera) that makes 325 hp and 273 lb-ft. Both are available with either a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmissions.

Better fuel economy — even with sports cars — is a must these days. The new Cayman gets a brake-based energy-recovery system, state-of-the-art thermal management system and a start/stop technology that, in total, Porsche says reduces the two-seater’s thirst for fuel by up to 15%. But not at the expense of performance. At 5.7 seconds, the “slowest” Cayman from zero to 100 km/h is the 2.7L with the stick. The quickest is the 3.4L mit Porsche-Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (or PDK) autobox at 4.9 seconds — only 0.1 seconds slower than the $23,300 more expensive 911 Carrera.

If you’re opting for the Cayman’s closed cockpit over the Boxster’s open-air opportunities, know that Porsche designers have done a wonderful job inside as well. Like the Boxster, there’s a large central information screen, a sloping centre console and a solid, durable feel throughout that’s consistent with the more upscale 911. The Cayman’s driving position is spot-on too, with more supportive seats than the outgoing iteration. The added width makes the Cayman’s cabin less claustrophobic and larger rear side windows improve rear visibility.

Improved visibility and ergonomics are fine, but a sports car must also deliver the intangibles that make driving it a soul-stirring experience. And despite the incremental gains in size and creature comforts, the 2014 Cayman is still one of the most dynamic and easy-to-drive sports cars you can buy.

Compared to the bloated new 911 Carrera (which despite what Porsche marketing types say, is now a grand tourer or GT car), the Cayman feels a lot more nimble. Its level of on-road grip is more than this driver’s talent/courage can max out. The Cayman also reacts quicker to throttle and steering wheel inputs than the rear-engine 911; more delicate and precise. Having the engine squat in the middle of the Cayman’s chassis helps here a lot. But so does the Porsche Active Suspension Management, with the choice of Normal and Sport settings. Even with Sport selected, the two-seater’s ride is complaint over bad pavement.

Another electronic aid is Porsche Torque Vectoring. PTV mates a mechanical differential lock with the Cayman’s anti-lock brake system and slows the appropriate inside rear wheel when cornering. But even with the e-nannies switched off, on a race track like here at Autodromo International Algarve for instance, the Cayman’s fundamental handling balance shines through. Yes, the new electric power steering doesn’t translate what’s going on at road level as much as the old car’s hydraulic setup. But only owners of the older model will protest. For the most part, the new Cayman’s steering is direct and accurate.

Rich housewives will continue to buy their Cayenne SUVs. Rest assured, though, that Porsche’s reputation as a sports car maker is safe with the new 2014 Cayman. It would be a cliché to write the new Cayman has “grown up.” But the extra bit of comfort it offers doesn’t mean the two-seater has gone all soft. Within the Porsche family — and against immediate Teutonic competition like the Audi TT, BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class — the Cayman is still one of the only “real” sports car of the lot.